Alzheimer's Awareness Month

Each year in January, Alzheimer Awareness Month is an opportunity for the Alzheimer Society to bring awareness to the disease and incite action.

For Canadians living with dementia, discrimination is one of the biggest barriers to living well with the disease. Stigma, stereotypes and misconceptions often prevent people from being open about their symptoms or asking for help. Discrimination is everywhere and can be a huge barrier to quality of life and obtaining proper care. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Let’s stop judging people with dementia. Let’s stop seeing them as a disease or a statistic, but rather as human beings who want/need our friendship and are to be supported with dignity and respect. Let’s throw out our worst Alzheimer’s joke and have empathy for those living with this disease. Let’s see life from their perspective.

We all fight discrimination in our own way in our communities; but, discrimination cannot be solved by a single person or organization. There are roughly 15,000 New Brunswickers living with dementia, 14% of whom are under the age of 65.

Dementia impacts more people than those who have it. Friends, families and caregivers live with dementia too. We need to make Canada a safe and inclusive space for every single person living with dementia.

Spread the word and start conversations to help people see dementia differently.

DID YOU KNOW?

46% of Canadians recently surveyed, stated they would feel ashamed or embarrassed if they had dementia, while 61% of those surveyed said they would face discrimination of some kind. The survey also shows that one in four Canadians believe that their friends and family would avoid them if they were diagnosed with dementia, and only 5% of Canadians would learn about dementia if a family member, friend or co-worker were diagnosed. To read the survey and to learn more about the stigma surrounding dementia, click here.